Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually unveiled six new Vande Bharat Express trains. The launch is meant to enhance the coverage of the nation’s high-speed railway network. Initially, the PM was scheduled to launch the trains from Tatanagar. However, low visibility and poor weather conditions made it impossible for his chopper to take it. Eventually, the event was moved to online.
Despite that, this expansion to the rail network represents a pivotal advancement in regional connectivity and elevates numerous sectors in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
PM Modi Unveils New Trains
PM Modi stated, “Six new Vande Bharat trains, projects more than Rs.650 crores, enhanced connectivity and travel facilities, and Pucca house to thousands under PMAY-G, I congratulate the people of Jharkhand for these initiatives.
Modi further added that there was a time when modern development was confined to certain cities of the country. But now the country has transitioned through the philosophy of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.’
In addition, the railway ministry emphasized that the original Vande Bharat train has now been transformed to Vande Bharat 2.0. This version features progressions like faster acceleration, Kavach safety systems, anti-virus technology, and WiFi.
Route of The Trains
The new trains will run on the following major routes,
- Tatanagar-Patna
- Brahmapur-Tatanagar
- Rourkela-Howrah
- Deoghar-Varanasi
- Bhagalpur-Howrah
- Gaya-Howrah
Click here to know the train name, schedule, and routes of Vande Bharat.
Benefits From the Expansion
With the commencement of these six new trains, the fleet of Vande Bharat trains will expand from 54 to 60, advancing 120 trips daily and serving over 280 districts across 24 states and union territories.
Benefits to Tourism
In addition to facilitating overall connectivity, the new Vande Bharat trains are expected to increase religious tourism in the region. The trains will ease the journey of pilgrims to important religious sites such as Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar (Jharkhand), Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), and Kalighat and Belur Math in Kolkata (West Bengal).
The speedier travel options will draw more visitors to these sacred places, eventually expanding the tourism sector.
Benefits to Industrial Sector
Providing benefits to travelers, the new rail services are set to significantly boost several key industries. The coal and mining sectors in Dhanbad, the jute industry in Kolkata, and the iron and steel sector in Durgapur, all the sectors will witness improved connectivity. The introduction of these trains is seen as a means to enrich the transportation of goods and workers, growing these industries.
Vande Bharat Express
Introduced in 2019, the Vande Bharat Express is India’s first semi-high-speed, indigenous train, accelerating up to 160 km/h. More than 50 Vande Bharat trains are currently functioning across the country. These are playing a crucial role in India’s approach towards modernization and self-reliance in the transportation sector.
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